Who doesn’t love when you can get an awesome software for free? You need this free graphic design software.
The Adobe Creative Suite is amazing, don’t get me wrong, HOWEVER it’s pretty expensive and there is a really steep learning curve.
Unless you’re doing something like web design, photo editing, or in depth video editing you don’t really need it.
So what should you use?
I LOVE Canva. I’ve been using Canva for years. A while back, I listened to a podcast on How I Built This with the founder of Canva. I didn’t know Canva was only developed in 2012 because I think I started using it in 2013 or 2014! It was awesome even back then. And yes, I still have my graphic I created!
Why do I love Canva so much?
Well for one, even their free version is great. They have a paid version and there definitely are a lot of great features on the paid version especially if you use a font for your brand that isn’t available in their free options however it’s not something you even need right away.
Canva is basically a simplified, easier to use version of Illustrator. You can still embed photos, graphics, text, etc. however it just has the basic tools you need. Which is a good thing! It means you have less to learn and can start creating right away.
Plus you can upload your logo, photos, and any other images or graphics you want!
You can use Canva to create any and all kinds of graphics from social media posts and stories, reels, powerpoints, PDFs, logos, business cards, invitations, and more.
And even though it’s a simplified version you can still create creative unique graphics. Canva is always evolving too so the options and design elements are getting better and better.
Canva Tips
If you have video that was shot horizontally (instead of vertically) and you want to post it as a reel, one thing I like to do is upload the video to Canva, create a design that’s the reel size, and add the video to your design. It looks so much better even if you just have a solid background. And, don’t forget to make your cover image!
I also love the templates Canva has so when you’re feeling uncreative, out of ideas, or short on time, my go-to is the templates and editing them. Sometimes I find it helpful to start from something then make changes instead of starting from a blank canvas. It makes the design process a lot less intimidating! Often you can’t even tell the template I started from because I changed it so much!
One thing to keep in mind – Canva is pretty widely used so I recommend not going in and using the logo templates without changing much. While it will still look awesome, it won’t be very unique and your logo won’t stand out. I always try to edit templates a bit to avoid having my graphic look too much like someone else’s.
Canva Font Pairings
If you’re looking for Canva fonts to pair together, here are some that I’m currently loving! It’s a good idea to choose different fonts like a serif (the fonts with feet or extra strokes at the ends of the letter) and sans serif (no extra strokes at the end of the letter).
Now go check out Canva and have some fun!!
